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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rock · foot · ruler · land · chip · jam · fork · craft

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. fork — in a road
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. rock — music
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. chip — to eat
  9. land — ground
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. craft — boats
  15. craft — a skill
  16. foot — a measure
  17. land — a country
  18. land — to come down
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. chip — for betting
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. jam — a tight spot

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com